Awning.



No. 70m-7o. Patented May 27, :902.

S. DIGNESS.

AWNING.

(Application filed Jan. 10, 1902.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheel 2.

Q, l f4 l m j* 0 UNiE STATES PATENT OFFICE..

SAMUEL DIGNESS, OF IIATTON, NORTH DAKOTA.

AWNING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,170, dated May 27, 1902.

Application tiled January 10, 1902. Serial No. 89,176. (No model.)

To all whom. t 71mg/ concern.-

Beitknown that l, SAMUEL DIGNEss, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hatton, in the county of Traill and State of North Dakota, have invented new and useful Improvements inAwnings, of which the following is a specification..

This invention relates to awnings, and particularly to means for raising and lowering the same; and the object in view is to provide simple and effective mechanism for positively controlling the adjustment or open and closed conditions of the awning or the like Without the use of pull-cords ordinarily employed and embodying adjustable features for convenience in application to different parts of a building or other structure in relation to the position of the awning and also to accommodate the elevation of the awning-winding element above a primary operating mechanism.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the awning applied in operative lowered position and embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of a building, showing the improved awning applied thereto and in. closed or elevated position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4 4, Fig. 2.

Similar numerals ol' reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a winding spindle or roll which is rotatably held in suitable hangers 2, adapted to be secured to a part of a building or other structure at a point adjacent to the portion of said building or structure to be shielded or shaded by the awning.

The awning 3 is constructed of suitable material adapted for the purpose and has its extremity opposite that engaging the spindle 1 fastened to a supporting rod 4, having terminal spreaders or'stretchers 5 extending inwardly to the building or other structure to which the awning is applied and provided with eyes 6, loosely engaging vertically-disposed guide-clips 7 the eyes 6 being large enough to easily move on the guide-clips and vations of the awning.

also hinged to the spreaders or stretchers, so that they may be folded upwardly against the building or other structure when the awning is raised, or said spreaders or stretchers may be adjusted obliquely by reason ofthe hinged connection with the eyes when the awning is partially lowered. On the one extended end of the winding-spindle 1 is a bevel-gear S, secured to the said spindle, and outside of the location of but close to the said gear a collar 9 loosely engages or embraces the same end of the spindle and is integrally formed with a vertically-disposed sleeve 10, which is located to one side of the projected end of the spindle and has the lower end continued into a yoke 11, in which a bevelpinion 12 is seated and continually held in mesh with the gear S. A winding-rod 13 eX- tends upwardly through the sleeve 10 and has an elongated groove 14 therein for sliding engagement by a key 15, carried by the pinion 12, and by means of this groove the sleeve 10, collar 9, gear 8, and pinion 12 may be adjusted to any suitable elevation on the Winding-rod to compensate for dierent positions of the spindle 1 in relation to the part of a building or structure to be shaded or shielded by the awning and which will vary in many instances in View of face structures, projections, and the like. By this means one Winding-rod will be adapted to operatively serve in connection with the awning for actuating the spindle 1 and avoid the necessity of supplying different lengths of `winding-rods to suit different ele- The constancy and regularity of mesh maintained between the Vpinion 12 and the gear 8 through the medium of the collar 9 and sleeve 10 are also a matter of material advantage, and the collar 9 is virtually the hub of the gear 8,with the addition of the sleeve 10, and in the assemblage of the parts just-mentioned and the winding-spindle l it is only necessary to insert the latter through the collar or hub 9 and introduce a securing device between said collar or hub and the spindle to cause the latter to regularly rotate With the gear 8. The Winding-.rod 13 may be of any suitable length; but it will be understood that a maximum length Will be adopted in the original manufacture and the adjustment necessary to accommodate variations in the elevation of the awning will be IOO obtained by sliding the sleeve vertically on the said winding-rod. The lower end of the winding-rod is connected by a universal joint 16 to a horizontally-disposed bevel-gear 17, secured on a short spindle 18, held by a passed through a lower sleeve 21 and a superposed sleeve 22, the latter holding the gear 17 at a proper elevation and at the same time permitting the free revolution of the said gear. An arm 23 projects outwardly from the bracket 19 and has an upwardly-extending angular extremity 2Ll,with a slot 25 therein.

- part with` the lower terminal of the winding-` Adj ustably held against the extremity 24 by a clamping-bolt 26 passing therethrough and through the said slot is an arm 27,depending from the hub 28 of a pinion 29, the said hub having an operating-spindle'SO secured thereto'and formed with an outer angular extremity 31 to receive a crank-handle or the like. The pinion 29 is normally held up in mesh with thegear 17, and the adjustment of the arm 27 permitswear of the 'pinion-to be compensated for, or in some instances, if desired, the said' arm 27 and hub 28 may be lowered to such an extent as to disengage the pinion 29 from the gear 17 to prevent operation of the awning after it has been raised, particularly at night. The universal joint 16 is formed in rod'13 andin part with the gear 17, and the function of the same is to permit the primary actuating mechanism, including the gear 17 and pinion 29, tobe disposed at Varying angles in relation to the mechanism above and to accommodate dierent structural conditions or demands in applying the awning.

The improved awning can be readily raised or lowered by applying a crank-handle or the like to the outer angular extremity 31 ot' the actuating-spindle 30, the movement of the splndle being transmitted through the pinion 29 to the gear 17 and from the latter through the winding-rod 13 to the pinion 12, gear 8, and Winding-spindle 1. It will be understood that reverse movements of the actuatingspindle 30 will cause the awning 3 to be wound or unwound, and, moreover, the awning will be held against undue movement either while in wound condition or when let down, as shown in Fig. 1, and the disadvantages incident to the use of pull-cords and sheaves or the like now found in the common awning structure will be avoided.

Havi ng thus described the invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In an awning, the combination of a winding-spindle having a gear on one extremity thereof mounted adjacent to said gear and having a vertically-disposed sleeve terminating in a lower yoke carrying a pinion which is held in continual mesh with said gear, an awning engaging the winding-spindle, supporting means for the awning at the extremity opposite that engaging the winding-spindle,a winding-rod freely movable through said sleeve and pinion,and means for actuating the said winding-rod.

2. In an awning, the combination with an awning proper and a winding-spindle, of a winding-rod for actuating said spindle and operative mechanism for said Winding-rod comprising a horizontally-disposed gear connected to the rod by a universal joint, anda primary actuating-pinion adjustable in relation to the gear and connected to tle lower extremity of Jthe rod.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL DIGNESS Witnesses:

A. HANsoN, PETER CLAUssEN. 

